yves norton seeley
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Do you know the oldest Norton racer in the world ? His name is AUGUST GOFFIN.
Have you any idea how old he is ?? 70, 80, 90 ??? Not at all, he will be 100 on April 23
Redman, Agostini, Read, Williams, Cooper, all this racers are teenagers compare to the Belgian August Goffin, August will be 100 years in a few days.
Probably the only racer from before WW 2 still in live. He is in very good shape, drive his car (very fast) and is still active in his sons business.
He was sharing the starting line with Geoff Duke, Traveri, Fergus Anderson, Ray Amm, Walter Zeller and all the best riders from the forties and fifties.
From his last race in 1956 till a few years a go, August Goffin was forgotten.
But a few years ago, Jan Kerckof scribe a book about is live and August Goffin was back in the glory he deserved.
I had the honour to interview August at different classic bikes shows in the last year, and he remember every detail from every race he did. ( more as 400)
Now I will ask you a big favour: send a email to August Goffin, wish him a Happy Birthday with your name and nationality, he will have tears in his eyes when he will receive it!
contact [at] jpgoffin.com
(Edited by Jerry- removed the @ and replaced with [at] so he does not get bombarded by spam)
Thanks
Yves Norton
Following is an digest of the book from August Goffin career by Jan Kerckof:
Belgium’s greatest motorcycle road race champion up to date is undoubtedly August Goffin. Between 1934 and 1956, he has collected 14 national championships (16 unofficially), a memorable performance that not yet has been equalled.
August Goffin is not only Belgium’s most glorious motorcycle champion ever, but had acquired also a prominent place among the best private pilots around the world. He participated in more than 400 official race meetings, in Belgium but particularly abroad. As figurehead of the Belgian road racing motorsport he defended the Belgian colours in the Netherlands, France, Germany, Spain, Great Britain, Switzerland, Italy, Morocco, Finland, Sweden and even in Brazil ... His name, linked to the trade mark Norton, adorns the palmares of all major race circuits of the European continent.
August was an intelligent rider, able to project the best of himself perfectly in his driving abilities, thus making him a formidable opponent. Wherever he took part, he commanded stunning victories; only works riders on factory racing machines could beat him. But he never would avoid confronting them. August Goffin was one of the few private entrants who managed to upset the factory pilots; no challenge was too difficult for him. Many organizers of speed events liked to appeal to him because they knew his fierce fighting spirit was a guarantee for a beautiful spectacle, a thrilling battle between top riders. Even the most authoritative international sports journalists were praiseful for his qualities: "The unbeatable Belgian" August was named by the British motor press. The French Moto Revue and the Italian motor magazine Ciclismo too, putted Goffin 's performances in daylight often. "The impressive Goffin, which ensures a merciless battle!”…
As the battle for the world title was at its peak in 1952, half of the participants were works riders. Although August participated only in four out of the eight Grand Prix meetings to be contested for the World Championship, he finished in the final ranking first private entrant who enjoyed no factory support. Thus making him the best private pilot of that moment, the moral victor amongst the works riders and private pilots who did receive factory support.
August Goffin becomes 100 year on 23 April 2014 and is still alive and kicking!
To celebrate this, August will be honoured at the Moto Show at the abbey of Floreffe (http://www.motoshowfloreffe.be) on Sunday 18 may 2014 and at Moto Retro Wieze (http://www.motoretrowieze.be) on Sunday 21 September 2014.
Auguste will be present on both events where he will sign the book on his racing career. This book will be available on both shows.
BOOK: The Continental Circus – Auguste Goffin and the Belgian champions in the 1950s.
Motorcycle road racing on public road circuits reached its heyday during the first years after World War II. The race meetings offered on the European continent surpassed the options; sometimes there were five or more events on one day, sometimes mid-week as well. The motorcycle racers travelled between one circuit to another through Europe, individually or in convoy, as a travelling circus: ‘the Continental Circus'.
This book is a tribute to Auguste Goffin and the other Belgian champions of that era, such as: Roger Laurent, Leon Martin, Ergé, Firmin Dauwe and Goffin’s pupil Raymond Bogaerdt. The Belgian sidecar heroes are not forgotten, especially the famous Frans Vanderschrick, Juliën Deronne, Marcel Masuy and Pierrot Vervroegen.
There is a chapter on private racing, on production racing machines and on the Belgian public road circuits of that era.
The book contains a unique collection of a 250-genuine and original photographs in black & white, previously unpublished, a dozen of colour images and some personal testimonies of the only three surviving heroes of this glorious and very unique period in motorcycle racing history.
Technical information:
Size: 23,50 x 31,50cm
Pages: 384
Finishing: Luxury edition, bound, hardboard with dust-jacket
Written in French and Dutch language.
Author: Jan Kerckhof.
To order & more information:
http://www.continentalcircus-goffin.com
Have you any idea how old he is ?? 70, 80, 90 ??? Not at all, he will be 100 on April 23
Redman, Agostini, Read, Williams, Cooper, all this racers are teenagers compare to the Belgian August Goffin, August will be 100 years in a few days.
Probably the only racer from before WW 2 still in live. He is in very good shape, drive his car (very fast) and is still active in his sons business.
He was sharing the starting line with Geoff Duke, Traveri, Fergus Anderson, Ray Amm, Walter Zeller and all the best riders from the forties and fifties.
From his last race in 1956 till a few years a go, August Goffin was forgotten.
But a few years ago, Jan Kerckof scribe a book about is live and August Goffin was back in the glory he deserved.
I had the honour to interview August at different classic bikes shows in the last year, and he remember every detail from every race he did. ( more as 400)
Now I will ask you a big favour: send a email to August Goffin, wish him a Happy Birthday with your name and nationality, he will have tears in his eyes when he will receive it!
contact [at] jpgoffin.com
(Edited by Jerry- removed the @ and replaced with [at] so he does not get bombarded by spam)
Thanks
Yves Norton
Following is an digest of the book from August Goffin career by Jan Kerckof:
Belgium’s greatest motorcycle road race champion up to date is undoubtedly August Goffin. Between 1934 and 1956, he has collected 14 national championships (16 unofficially), a memorable performance that not yet has been equalled.
August Goffin is not only Belgium’s most glorious motorcycle champion ever, but had acquired also a prominent place among the best private pilots around the world. He participated in more than 400 official race meetings, in Belgium but particularly abroad. As figurehead of the Belgian road racing motorsport he defended the Belgian colours in the Netherlands, France, Germany, Spain, Great Britain, Switzerland, Italy, Morocco, Finland, Sweden and even in Brazil ... His name, linked to the trade mark Norton, adorns the palmares of all major race circuits of the European continent.
August was an intelligent rider, able to project the best of himself perfectly in his driving abilities, thus making him a formidable opponent. Wherever he took part, he commanded stunning victories; only works riders on factory racing machines could beat him. But he never would avoid confronting them. August Goffin was one of the few private entrants who managed to upset the factory pilots; no challenge was too difficult for him. Many organizers of speed events liked to appeal to him because they knew his fierce fighting spirit was a guarantee for a beautiful spectacle, a thrilling battle between top riders. Even the most authoritative international sports journalists were praiseful for his qualities: "The unbeatable Belgian" August was named by the British motor press. The French Moto Revue and the Italian motor magazine Ciclismo too, putted Goffin 's performances in daylight often. "The impressive Goffin, which ensures a merciless battle!”…
As the battle for the world title was at its peak in 1952, half of the participants were works riders. Although August participated only in four out of the eight Grand Prix meetings to be contested for the World Championship, he finished in the final ranking first private entrant who enjoyed no factory support. Thus making him the best private pilot of that moment, the moral victor amongst the works riders and private pilots who did receive factory support.
August Goffin becomes 100 year on 23 April 2014 and is still alive and kicking!
To celebrate this, August will be honoured at the Moto Show at the abbey of Floreffe (http://www.motoshowfloreffe.be) on Sunday 18 may 2014 and at Moto Retro Wieze (http://www.motoretrowieze.be) on Sunday 21 September 2014.
Auguste will be present on both events where he will sign the book on his racing career. This book will be available on both shows.
BOOK: The Continental Circus – Auguste Goffin and the Belgian champions in the 1950s.
Motorcycle road racing on public road circuits reached its heyday during the first years after World War II. The race meetings offered on the European continent surpassed the options; sometimes there were five or more events on one day, sometimes mid-week as well. The motorcycle racers travelled between one circuit to another through Europe, individually or in convoy, as a travelling circus: ‘the Continental Circus'.
This book is a tribute to Auguste Goffin and the other Belgian champions of that era, such as: Roger Laurent, Leon Martin, Ergé, Firmin Dauwe and Goffin’s pupil Raymond Bogaerdt. The Belgian sidecar heroes are not forgotten, especially the famous Frans Vanderschrick, Juliën Deronne, Marcel Masuy and Pierrot Vervroegen.
There is a chapter on private racing, on production racing machines and on the Belgian public road circuits of that era.
The book contains a unique collection of a 250-genuine and original photographs in black & white, previously unpublished, a dozen of colour images and some personal testimonies of the only three surviving heroes of this glorious and very unique period in motorcycle racing history.
Technical information:
Size: 23,50 x 31,50cm
Pages: 384
Finishing: Luxury edition, bound, hardboard with dust-jacket
Written in French and Dutch language.
Author: Jan Kerckhof.
To order & more information:
http://www.continentalcircus-goffin.com
